


Juggling Keys

by Pinapples



Series: The one about the Dragonborn, Khajiit and the High Elf [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Bickering, But Only Because They Care, F/M, One Shot, Rumarin refuses to hand over the Skeleton Key, assholes to lovers, still very much in the assholes stage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:48:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27025309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinapples/pseuds/Pinapples
Summary: An argument between Rumarin and Akhara about returning the Skeleton Key. Because, she gave him the key to hold onto, and now he won't give it back.
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Rumarin
Series: The one about the Dragonborn, Khajiit and the High Elf [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979753
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Juggling Keys

**Author's Note:**

> I just felt chapter 12 in the main fic was already so long, I didn’t want to add more on. And this can be read all on it’s own, so...

.***.

“Give me the key, Ru.” Akahra’s foot tapped against the ground outside the temple to Nocturnal. They had been going back and forth for the last ten minutes already, Rumarin insisting he didn't know what she was talking about.

“I don’t have it.” He shrugged, raising his palms. 

“Yes, you do,” she glared at him. 

“No...” 

“Why are you like this? You knew we were going to have to return the thing when I gave it to you.” 

“Did you ever stop to consider I wasn’t paying attention?” 

She drummed her fingers along her crossed arms. He made that face when he was hiding something. “Seriously, the Skeleton Key, where is it?” 

“Oh, you mean this?” He reached forward, fingers grazing against the shell of her ear as he pretended to pull the key from it. She made a grab for it. Her fingers brushing against his wrist as he ducked and held it away, out of reach.

She briefly considered simply tackling him to the ground, or waiting until he wasn’t looking and picking his pocket. But this was ridiculous! They were right there, standing outside the entrance to Nocturnal’s shrine. And he had to be difficult about it. “Why do you want to keep the bloody thing so bad?” she asked. 

“I don't. I just know that you want it. Also, I think it makes me smarter.” 

She kept her face flat. Hoping he would get the message. _Unimpressed._

“Okay maybe not smarter, because Mercer was an idiot, but I’ve never been able to unlock so many things _in my life_ ,” he explained, eyes lighting up, “at that last inn we were at- I found the innkeeper's diary, locked in a drawer, and-” 

“We’ve traveled around the entire province because of this thing not being given back to Nocturnal. And you want to keep it, because you enjoy invading other people's privacy?” 

“You have no appreciation for good gossip,” he shook his head solemnly. 

"I don't care about some innkeeper!" she said, fixing him with a glare. 

"Well, you should, since they're secretly-"

"Give me the damned thing!" she reached for it again, Rumarin attempting to hold her off with one arm while he held the key a few inches out of reach. 

"Hang on," Rumarin held up a hand as she backed off. "Why do we have to return it to Nocturnal anyway. Didn't she steal it from Azura? So, technically, shouldn't we be heading for that shrine instead?"

"No.” Akhara ran her hands through her hair, pulling curls loose. “Because I don't care who it rightly belongs to, I just want to get this ebonmere thing over with-"

"Azura would probably reward us with something much more useful than 'luck',” he pointed out. “I think we should weigh our options."

She threw her arms in the air with an exasperated sigh. "You're the most difficult person I've ever met!” 

"I told you when we met I was insufferable. Who's fault is it for not listening?"

"Inigo, I'm going to kill him."

"Leave me out of this.” the dark purple khajiit frowned at them from over top of the book he was reading. “You're the one who let him hold onto the damned thing!" 

“Yes, exactly!” Rumarin smiled. “This is all your fault!” 

Akhara closed her eyes, hands atop her head walking in a circle ten paces away before turning back to him. "You think we should give the key to Azura?” She raised an eyebrow. 

Rumarin shrugged. He truly didn't care which daedra they gave it to, but he thought Nocturnal was a bit too mysterious. 

“I think you should give the key to me." Akhara placed both hands on her chest. 

"Why?" He leaned against the wall, twirling the skeleton key between his fingers, still out of reach. 

“Because Azura isn't on the verge of knocking you out.”

"Oh, I don't think you are either," he smiled, "because one, you would have done so already, and two, then who else is going to be the group jester?" 

She scowled at him. “Rumarin, please!?” 

“Okay, I will give you the key, on one condition,” he held up a finger. 

“What.” 

He tapped his chin, pretending to think. “Oh, I know! After you return this, no more deals with daedra.” 

She blinked, resting her hands on her hips. “Are you blackmailing me?” 

“Blackmail would imply I had something embarrassing of yours that I could reveal later, like dirty love letters. No, this is bribery.”

Inigo muttered something from behind his book that sounded suspiciously like 'children'. 

“But seriously, as your friend, the more you mess with daedra, the more likely your chances of being turned into toadstool. And, no matter how good of a friend you are, I am _not_ carrying toadstool around in my pocket.” 

“Rich, coming from you. Didn't you occasionally have dealings with Sanguine?” 

“What? No! Gods, you do skooma with a dremora _one_ time...” he shook his head. 

She rubbed at her temple, dragging her hands over her face. “Rumarin, just give me the key!” her voice barely containing her frustration. 

“Hang on, I haven't even said goodbye yet!” He held the key in front of him, his lower lip pouting at it for a moment before extending his hand. Akhara’s hand reached forward, He pulled it back slightly, giving her a silent look. _Seriously, no more daedra?_

Her jaw went stiff, but she nodded. _No more daedra._

He held his hand out once more. Akhara swiped the key from his open palm. Turning her back to them and walking into the ruined temple without another word. Her footsteps echoing around the chamber. 

“Are you satisfied?” Inigo said without looking up from his book

“What? You want to end up dealing with Molag Bal next? At this rate, she's going to end up dealing with every daedric prince there is, and then some.” 

Inigo’s ears perked up, his face popping up from behind the book to look at him. “You actually had a goal in mind when you did that? I thought you were just being difficult.” 

"Oh… I was.” 

“What did you find in that innkeeper's journal?” Inigo asked, whiskers twitching. 

“They were having an affair.”

Inigo made a noise between a squeak and a cough, hiding a laugh as he turned a page.

“With the Jarl,” Rumarin grinned. 

.

.

.

.***.

**Author's Note:**

> Which innkeep is having an affair with which Jarl will be left up to your imagination ;)  
> Inigo’s diary probably reads: Dear Diary, today they are acting like children. Again.


End file.
